Sébastien welcomes you in our 4-star hotel, La Bourdonnais. Our Inwood Lover is receptionist and enjoys welcoming our guests. In this article, he tells us about an original discovery, the Galcante bookstore.
Sébastien recommends the historic Galcante bookstore
The Galcante was founded by former journalist Christian Bailly in 1975. The specialty of this unique bookstore is the old press, from the French Revolution to the present day. Today, the Galcante is the largest bookstore in Europe specialized in the old press. Whether you are a specialist or just looking for your Birth Diary (dated the day of your birth), the Galcante bookstore will not leave you indifferent and will make you rediscover history through the press of an older time.
Sébastien wanted to share with us his feelings about this very special place. He was immediately struck by the quantity of newspapers, magazines and books that make up the bookstore. He was all the more amazed by the age of some of these documents.
“Books everywhere, up to our heads”
Passing through the doors of the Galcante bookstore, Sébastien explains that he felt as if he had been transported to another era, far from the internet and modern means of communication: “From newspapers to old books archives, it gives us the impression of going back to the 1950s/1960s.”
National and regional newspapers, magazines, catalogues of all kinds, the smallest square metre of this specialized shop is used to store old publications (originals only), most often purchased from private individuals. A real museum of the press with treasure-like items like the very first issue of the Canard Enchaîné, dated September 10, 1915: «There are books everywhere, even above our heads!» he exclaims.
So, Sébastien recommends this place «to the fans of that time, to the people wishing to find archives of those years.».
He also advises you to go to the Galcante bookstore to get your birth diary, or to give it to a loved one. Indeed, Galcante is known as the first bookstore in the world to propose this concept: «To offer a person the newspaper of his birth remains more than ever in the spirit of the times».
In a nutshell, follow the advice of our lover, and go to the Galcante to immerse yourself in History through the ancient press. Find the memories of an era and nostalgia, emotions, that no digital archive will really offer.